The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced further guidance on operations for summer 2022 and School Year 2022-23:

• Summer Food Service Program operations in 2022: state agencies may request waivers for non-congregate meal service and parent/guardian pickup when impacted by COVID-19. In addition, sponsors will be able to use other approved data sources to determine area eligibility for sites, no waiver required.
• National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program operations in School Year 2022-23: state agencies may request waivers for non-congregate feeding and parent/guardian pickup when impacted by COVID-19 offer versus serve at the high school level, mealtime requirements, and alternate sites for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program when impacted by COVID.

Other waivers that state agencies may request include Food Service Management Company contract duration, Local Wellness Policy triennial assessment due date, and on-site reviews and reporting. CDE’s School Nutrition Unit is applying for all waivers to provide as much flexibility as possible to sponsors. These flexibilities will not be in place until the waivers are approved by USDA. Register for the next On the Menu call on Thursday, April 28, to learn about the waivers in more detail.